ICOS: Afghan Resistance Controls 72% of Afghanistan. 3 of 4 roads leading out of Kabul "compromised".
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By Les Blough, Editor

Axis of Logic

Monday, Dec 8, 2008

Compare the changes in Afghan Resistance control of Afghanistan in the last 12 months reported by a highly credible think-tank, the International Council on Security and Development (ICOS). ICOS is an organisation in support of the war in Afghanistan, offering analysis and strategic and tactical advice to the U.S. military and NATO. Axis of Logic research found that neither, the ICOS website nor the new ICOS map could be found with a Google Search (Google only finds their old Senlis Council website which does not have their latest report or map) shown below. Alternatives were used. Note that the U.S. and NATO fiercely deny the credibility of ICOS numbers and Reuters is running interference by carpeting the Internet with these denials when reporting on the ICOS findings, but never showing the latest revealing map or from ICOS. ICOS reports:

"The Taliban now holds a permanent presence in 72% of Afghanistan, up from 54% a year ago. Taliban forces have advanced from their southern heartlands, where they are now the de facto governing power in a number of towns and villages, to Afghanistan’s western and north-western provinces, as well as provinces north of Kabul. Within a year, the Taliban's permanent presence in the country has increased by a startling 18%."

ICOS continues:

"While the international community’s prospects in Afghanistan have never been bleaker, the Taliban has been experiencing a renaissance that has gained momentum since 2005.

"However, as seven years of missed opportunity have rolled by, the Taliban has rooted itself across increasing swathes of Afghan territory. According to research undertaken by ICOS throughout 2008, the Taliban now has a permanent presence in 72% of the country.

"Of the four doors leading out of Kabul, three are now compromised by Taliban activity. The roads to the west, towards the Afghan National Ring Road through Wardak to Kandahar become unsafe for Afghan or international travel by the time travellers reach the entrance to Wardak province, which is about thirty minutes from the city limits.

"By blocking the doors to the city in this way, the Taliban insurgents are closing a noose around the city and establishing bases close to the city from which to launch attacks inside it. Using these bases, the Taliban and insurgent attacks in Kabul have increased dramatically – including kidnapping of Afghans and foreigners, various bomb attacks and assassinations."

Compare the two ICOS maps below which show the advances of the Afghan Resistance in the last 12 months.

ICOS November 2007 map showing Afghan Resistance in direct control of 54% of the country and 38% showing "Area with substantial Taliban presence", reflecting a total of 92% outside U.S./NATO control. One year ago, U.S./NATO controlled only 8% after 7 years of war against Afghanistan. The U.S. invaded Afghanistan on October 7, 2001 in what they called "Operation Enduring Freedom". According to a UK Guardian report, Ten of thousands of Afghans died in the first 4 months of the invasion and many more since then. As a matter of policy, the U.S. and NATO intentionally do not attempt to count the numbers they have killed or injured.

One year later, this November 2008 ICOS map shows the Afgan Resistance in direct control of 72% of the country with a stepped up description, "substantial Taliban/Insurgent activity" in 21% of Afghanistan. The sum reflects 73% of the country strongly suggests that the resistance is organised, heavily armed and in control while the U.S., NATO and their puppet government under occupation has failed. - an 18% gain in the last 12 months.

Legend:

Dark Pink: Permanent Taliban Presence (72% in 2008) = Average of one or more insurgent attacks per week, according to public record of attacks. It is highly likely that many attacks are not publicly known.

Light Pink: Substantial Taliban Presence (21% in 2008) = Based on number of attacks and local perceptions (Frequency of Taliban sightings)

Grey Areas: Light Taliban Presence (7% in 2008) = Based on number of attacks and local perceptions (Frequency of Taliban sightings)

The colour coded dots on the map represent civilian, military or insurgent fatalities since January 2008

Red = civilian fatalities

Green = military fatalities

Yellow = insurgent fatalities

Remembering Vietnam

April, 1975 - U.S. collaborators scaling the wall of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, Vietnam, fleeing to get to the helicopter pickup zone, as the NVA rolled into Saigon 32 years ago. (photo: Neal Ulevich/AP)

One of the $250,000 (in 1975 dollars) helicopters pushed off afleeing U.S. ship to make room for the vanquished U.S. military and their collaborators.

With the U.S. and NATO becoming more and more trapped with their puppet government in Kabul under their planted president, Hamid Karzai, a former Taliban supporter turned U.S. lapdog, the new Obama regime promises "a different strategy" for Afghanistan. Do the U.S. and NATO have the resources? Will it work? Judging from the advances made by the Afghan Resistance since 2001 and especially those of the last 2 years - Obama's new "strategy" may very well morph into an "exit strategy" like that of April 29, 1975 when the U.S. invaders fled the victorious Vietnamese Resistance with their asses on fire. Perhaps the U.S. and NATO will find a new Henry Kissinger to bill their defeat as "peace with honor" in another futile attempt to save face.

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